


Unspoken Lyrics

by TheSelfHatingAngelOfThursday



Category: Supernatural
Genre: (tm), Hopefully delivered, M/M, Once again I received a prompt and um, Some emotional constipation, The Mixtape, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28018380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSelfHatingAngelOfThursday/pseuds/TheSelfHatingAngelOfThursday
Summary: Cas pulls out an old mixtape. The one Dean gave him. Now, though, as he listens, he hears himself. His feelings, his thoughts, his emotions all buried down into each note. And Dean. It all reminds him of Dean. Dean comes out of his room and decides to check on Cas, only to find him lying there peacefully with a smile and a song flowing through his headphones. Both have unspoken feelings, but they shine through in the smiles and looks they share, and the sounds they hear.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	Unspoken Lyrics

_ We really shouldn't go _

_ It only goes to show _

_ That you will be mine…  _

_ By taking our time. _

Led Zeppelin croons into Castiel’s ears, and he writes these lyrics down as they play. He writes the title he believes the lyrics belong to beside them.

_ What Is And What Should Never Be _

This is the fourth song he’s heard that really makes him smile. The fourth song that he drew a little heart next to. The third song that he drew tiny question marks beside. What can he say, Sam and his annotation skills have rubbed off on him.

This is the third time he’s listened to the mixtape Dean gave him, and every time he takes notes of the songs he likes at the moment.

Well, he likes them all.

Every warm, deep sound reminds him of Dean.

He hears the notes in Dean’s footsteps, in his voice, in the clinking of beer bottles at 9pm.

He sees the songs in Dean’s smile, in the warm tan of his skin.

He feels the music in the fleeting heat of Dean’s skin against his, rare as that may be.

Cas closes his eyes, listening and basking in the faux warmth the tunes give off. Every once in a while. The music in his ears is interrupted by the scratching of a pencil on paper, but it’s brief. He’s laying horizontally on his bed, arms folded over his stomach until a soft knock interrupts his trance-like state.

“Hey Cas, you, uh… oh.” Dean’s eyebrows raise as his eyes trail down to the device Cas’ headphones are connected to. “You’re… listening to it?"

“Dean.” Cas says, sitting up slightly and offering a small smile. “Yeah.” 

“You like?”

“Yes.” His smile grows slightly, but remains soft and kind. “Yeah... I like.”

Dean nods, taking a step inside the room but leaving the door open. 

“Dean, if you wouldn’t mind, could I ask you about some of the songs?” 

Even in the dim lighting of his bedroom, Cas could swear he saw a tint of color on Dean’s cheeks. That made him smile, even though Dean now refused to meet his eyes. “Don’t understand ‘em or something? Sure, I guess.”

“Well, I was wondering… why did you give this to me, Dean?”

“Oh.” Dean pauses, finally looking up at Cas, if only for a moment. And there it is, the warmth. Dean’s gaze rushes over him and it makes Cas smile again. “Well, your music knowledge sucks. I figured you’d be best off getting some music in here when you’re not in the car.”

“Of course. Yes. I was just curious… some of these songs…”

“Yeah?” Dean steps over, his boots thudding lightly on the floor.

“Did you just get back?” Cas asks, changing the subject and looking up from the mixtape and to Dean, glancing at his boots on the way up.

“No, I was getting ready to leave. Grocery run. Bring the tape. We can, um… we can listen to it on the way there.”

“Alright.” Cas stands up, gingerly grabbing the mixtape out of the player and walking out with Dean.

There’s not much sound in the bunker at all. From the library there’s rustling of pages that Cas assumes is Sam, but otherwise, nothing. There’s the sound of Cas’ trench coat ruffling and moving against his other clothes. The sound of Dean’s arms as they hit his sides while he walks. Cas listens to the sounds of their footsteps. He enjoys the way they sound together. It’s always the same, but slightly different. And it’s a sound that’s been familiar to him for twelve years.

Another sound that’s been familiar to him for years: Baby. He glances over at Dean when they walk into the garage, and of course, the other man grins and speeds his steps slightly to reach his car. Cas, of course, follows.

He always does, doesn’t he?

They sit down inside, the old leather squeaking slightly as they do, and the doors slam. 

Cas offers the mixtape to Dean with an open palm, and Dean nods, before gesturing to the tape deck. “Go ahead.” Once again, he’s not meeting Cas’ eyes as he starts Baby up. Just like every other time he starts her up, he lets out a light sigh and smiles.

Cas smiles at this, before putting in the tape and starting up the music. 

Dean immediately smiles. The first song that plays is Ramble On, and Dean sings along to the lyrics, drumming his hands lightly as he drives. The next, though, is definitely familiar to Cas. It’s another he wrote down.

_ If the sun refused to shine _

_ I would still be loving you _

Cas closes his eyes for a moment, before opening them and looking at Dean. He feels a warm ache in his chest, although it’s not necessarily a bad one. “This was one of the songs I wanted to ask you about, Dean.”

Dean looks as though he’s asleep, but his eyes are open. “Yeah? I think it’s fairly obvious, what it’s about and all.”

“Why did you put it on the tape?”

Dean shrugs, and Cas can’t help but inwardly compare it to a child who’d just gotten caught doing something.

“I thought you’d like it.”

“I do. Very much so.” Cas settles into his seat, as though bracing for impact. As he stares out the windshield, he says, “It reminds me of you.”

“It… oh.”

_ Little drops of rain whisper of the pain _

_ Tears of loves lost in the days gone by _

_ My love is strong,  _

_ With you there is no wrong _

“It reminded me of you too.” Dean says, sparing a glance at Cas, and Castiel happily returns the eye contact.

“What are the other ones?”

“What Is And What Should Never Be, and, um… The Rain Song. Although the latter isn’t nearly as…” Cas pauses. He knows the words he’s thinking, but, well… “soft, as the other two.”

“Yeah.” Dean mumbles.

“I think Thank You is my favorite. The beginning and the end, the lines about still… still loving someone until the end of time. It can be…” he looks at Dean again, “it can be fairly accurately applied to, well, to myself, don’t you think?”

“Well, you are immortal.” The corners of Dean’s mouth rise, but he keeps his eyes placed on the road.

“Your observation skills are something to be admired, Dean.” Cas retorts, eyebrows raised.

Dean laughs softly. “What can I say, I’m brilliant.” He glances out the corner of his eye at Cas.

As Cas’ eyes meet Dean’s, the final words of the song play, and both men tear their gazes away, returning them to the road.

_ If the sun refused to shine _

_ I would still be loving you _

_ Mountains crumble to the sea _

_ There will still be you and me _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! Please, feel free to let me know what you thought in the comments. You can also find me on tumblr with the url @theselfhatingangelofthursday. I take requests there, or really whatever else you may want to send. Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day!


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